


Anxiety

by Jicklet



Series: They Live [1]
Category: It Lives (Visual Novels)
Genre: Anxiety, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, y'all ever just write something to make yourself feel better
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-29
Updated: 2020-07-29
Packaged: 2021-03-05 23:15:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,394
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25583467
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jicklet/pseuds/Jicklet
Summary: Supernatural entities might be leaving them alone for now, but for Lucas, the real world still has a lot going on. Too much.Or: Sometimes you just need someone to help pull you out of our own head.
Relationships: Lucas Thomas/Main Character (It Lives In The Woods)
Series: They Live [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1854196
Kudos: 3





	Anxiety

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written in 2018 for ILITW appreciation week.

Lucas’s car wasn’t in his spot.

Dana frowned as she scanned the parking lot. Okay, so student council president didn’t get a reserved space or anything, but Lucas being Lucas was in the habit of arriving way too early, which granted him his choice of prime parking. And now that it was after school, he should have been outside her classroom, or at the office, or in the auditorium -- but he wasn't. And his car was not where it always is. 

Luckily, by the time she'd gotten out there, most of the cars had sped off to enjoy the gorgeous spring day, so she was finally able to spy her boyfriend’s ride at the very back of the lot. Irritation and confusion swirled in her, trying their best to cover up the feeling making her steps speed up as she got close enough to see it was occupied.

She jogged the last few feet. “Hey! Hey, what the heck, why didn't you… wait for me…" She trailed off, realizing his head was bowed between his arms as he clutched at the steering wheel, unmoving.

Her heart froze.

“Lucas?” She quickly moved around to the passenger side door--mercifully unlocked--and slid in, backpack dropping to the floor. “Lucas, Lucas hey,” she babbled, shaking his arm.

“Hi,” he whispered.

Her entire body unclenched at the sound of his voice. _“Jesus,_ you scared me.” She didn't know what she expected. Mr--Ja-- _Noah_ is back and murdering them in their cars?

No. She knew what this was. 

“Sorry,” he whispered, forcing a laugh. 

“No, it's ok. Hey, breathe, okay? That's it. There you go.” She rubbed his back slowly, feeling his inhales and exhales follow the movement of her hand, pulling him out of his head and back to her. 

She wasn't sure how long it was before he lifted his head up to look at her. “Thank you, I'm okay now. Sorry," he added again.

She immediately shook her head, smiling as her insides twisted, wishing again, that she could do more to stop this from happening. "You wanna talk about it?” 

He shot her a small grateful smile. “It’s just… You know, tonight I don’t have any committee meetings, so I was going to catch up on a bunch of things, and--” he nodded his head towards her with a small smile-- “maybe spend time with _you,_ and then Flores came up to me after class and asked if I can come early tomorrow to help set up for the assembly, which would be fine, but she also wants me to start things off with a _speech,_ and...” 

“Ah.”

“Yeah, so I have to figure that out tonight and give it first period tomorrow… and... I just, I'd already had tonight all mapped out, and... and I just…” he trailed off.

“Yeah. That’s a lot.” Her eyes went to his hands, clenched together to stop them from shaking. She took one in her own, rubbing it gently with her thumb. “But, hey, I can help out, and... Lucas, you remember you _can_ say ‘no’ to things, especially when they’re so last-minute. Flores can introduce her own damn assemblies.”

He looked briefly surprised.

“Oh my god,” she realized. “You did forget.”

“I mean, in the moment, I--”

“Lucas!” She laughed, lightly shoving his shoulder. “Alright, how about this? I’ll help you practice.”

He grinned, a little less wide than normal, but at least the color had returned to his face. “What are you thinking now?”

She dropped his hand and straightened up in her seat, clearing her throat. “Lucas, give me $20.”

“No,” he replied, catching on instantly. 

She almost smiled before she could help it, but covered it up with a hurt look, staying in character. “Lucas, _please_ give me $20? It’s _really_ important.”

He was smiling, confident now. “I’m sorry Dana, but… _No.”_

Time for the big guns. She put on her best puppy eyes, leaning towards him and taking his hands in hers. _“Pleeeease?_ I promise I’ll pay you back as soon as I can...” 

He stared at her for several seconds, gaze softening as his eyes trail across her face.

_Is he giving in--?_

He kissed her.

“Mmm-- _Hey!_ Cheater!"

He was laughing. She mock-glared at him. “Well, joke’s on you, I fully expect to see you using that technique on Flores next time.”

He winced with clear regret. _“Aughhh.”_

“I mean, _some_ guys are into older women--”

“Please stop talking.”

“I could see it! She’s got--”

He tried to put his hand over her mouth but she leaned away, cackling with victory. “I will do _anything_ for you to stop,” he begged, but it was undercut by his laughter. “Right now.” 

Her chuckles subsided as she put her hands up in surrender. He lowered his own hands, truce settling between them.

“Alright Mr. Thomas, well done. Points for creativity.” It was a silly line, but his shoulders relaxed minutely at the praise anyway. _Success._

She leaned over to settle against his side and he wrapped an arm around her. The parking break dug into her side, but she ignored it. Lucas felt warm and solid, holding her there. It’s nice, and what she’d been waiting for all day, but part of her wished, as always, that she could do more to help him.

She wished--

He let out a sigh. “Hey. Thank you.” 

“Of course.” Idly, she played with a fastening on one of his ever-present button downs. “Feeling better?”

He nodded, kissing the top of her head. “I’m sorry you had to see that again.”

She lightly punched his chest. “Hey, I told you. I’ve got your back.”

He rubbed her shoulder, and she could hear the smile in his voice. “What did I ever do to deserve you?”

“I meeean. To be fair,” she offered hesitantly. “We both went through a lot.”

He grunted in agreement, but tensed.

She hurried to intercept the mood. “So! I’d say _I_ deserve a tall overachiever with Superman shoulders.” 

He snorted, turning his head away. If she could see his face, she knew he'd be blushing, smile turned shy as it always did when she complimented him.

“And _you_ definitely deserve--” she flourished her arm to indicate herself-- “ _this_ hot mess with the awesome hair and bomb-ass short girl legs.”

That surprised a laugh out of him, and he slid a hand down to her hip to give it a squeeze. “They _are_ pretty nice,” he admitted. 

“Hell yeah,” she grinned. 

“And you’re not a mess.”

She tilted her head back to meet his gaze. “Neither are you,” she responded quietly.

He leaned down and she up, meeting each other halfway. Everything settled together, and for a while she just _floats._

Eventually she remembers she doesn't want to get the class president in trouble for public indecency. Reluctantly, she pulled back. Lucas followed to plant one last kiss to her lips, then rested his forehead against hers. 

She chuckled. “So…”

“Mmm?”

She trailed her hand gently along his chest. “Can I drive your car?”

“Absolutely not,” he replied without hesitation.

“Aw, man!” She let her head fall back. “You got good at this ‘No’ thing _way_ too fast. Freaking ace student.”

He laughed. She loved the sound of it, rich and deep. 

But soon enough, it trailed off into a sigh. And something was... jingling? She looked down and realized he was fiddling with his keys. He quickly palmed them once he realized she'd noticed.

_Mmakeouts couldn't fix everything, it seemed._ “You wanna come over?” she offered. 

Relief washed over his face. “You sure?”

“Yeah! My parents won’t be home for another hour, and we can--”

The look on his face melted from uncertain to amused.

“--work on your speech!” she laughed, shoving him.

“Yes, that’s exactly where I thought you were going with that.” He replied, smirking.

“Why, Mr. Thomas, I’m sure I don’t know what you are implying!”

He raised his hands innocently. “Absolutely nothing.” 

“Though…” She stroked the hair at the nape of his neck. “If we get a little _distracted,”_ she leaned in, pressing one more kiss to his lips. “Who could blame us?”

He kissed her back deeply, breathing her in. “This is very cliché.”

She grinned against his lips. "You love it."

He chuckled, pulling back to look at her face. "I do."

Her heart thumped.

**Author's Note:**

> Lucas's story means a lot to me. By the end of ILITW he's come so far, but some things are just going to take time to unlearn.


End file.
